COMPARISON OF PAROLE OFFICERS AND PAROLE VIOLATORS PERCEPTIONS ON FACTORS RELATED TO RECIDIVISM IN LOUISIANA

• NCJ Number: 65930
• Author(s): N A ASLONE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 115 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SPECIAL PRICES FOR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

PAROLE OFFICERS' AND PAROLE VIOLATORS' PERCEPTIONS OF RECIDIVISM FACTORS ARE COMPARED IN A LOUSIANA SAMPLE INTENDED TO PROVIDE DATA FOR IMPROVING PAROLE EFFECTIVENESS.

Abstract

THE TOTAL POPULATION OF PAROLE VIOLATORS IN THE DIXON CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AT JACKSON, LA., IN SEPTEMBER 1977, AND A SYSTEMATIC RANDOM SAMPLE OF LOUISIANA PAROLE OFFICERS WERE SELECTED FOR THE RESEARCH SAMPLE (54 PAROLE VIOLATORS AND 50 PAROLE OFFICERS). THE QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTERED TO THE RESPONDENTS CONTAINED 102 ITEMS IN 8 CATEGORIES OF FACTORS CONSIDERED TO BE POSSIBLY RELATED TO RECIDIVISM. THE CATEGORIES WERE POLICE AND COURTS, SOCIETY, PAROLE SUPERVISION, IMPRISONMENT, SELF-CONTROL, PERSONAL ATTITUDE, EMPLOYMENT, AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS. A LINEAR ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE WAS COMPUTED TO COMPARE THE MEAN RESPONSES OF PAROLE OFFICERS AND PAROLE VIOLATORS ON EACH CATEGORY. THE MEANS REPRESENTED SCORES ON A 5-POINT SCALE, WITH A MEAN SCORE OF 0 INDICATING THAT NO PERSONS RETURNED TO PRISON FOR THAT REASON AND A MEAN SCORE OF 4 INDICATING THAT MOST PERSONS RETURNED TO PRISON FOR THIS REASON. PAROLE OFFICERS TENDED TO RELATE PAROLE OUTCOME TO THE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND BEHAVIOR OF THE PAROLEE, SUCH AS SELF-CONTROL, EMPLOYMENT, AND PERSONAL ATTITUDE; WHEREAS, PAROLE VIOLATORS TENDED TO RELATE RECIDIVISM TO POOR SOCIAL CONDITIONS, IMPRISONMENT, UNFAIR TREATMENT BY POLICE AND THE COURTS, AND POOR PAROLE SUPERVISION. THE SUM OF THE DATA INDICATED THAT PAROLE OFFICERS AND PAROLE VIOLATORS VIEW RECIDIVISM FACTORS IN MARKEDLY DIFFERENT WAYS. WHILE THE RESULTS ARE MERELY OPINIONS BY A PARTICULAR SAMPLE CONCERNING FACTORS RELATED TO RECIDIVISM, INCREASED DIALOG BETWEEN PAROLE OFFICERS AND PAROLEES ABOUT WHAT IS NEEDED IN PAROLE PROGRAMS IS SUGGESTED. SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS IN CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM ARE SUGGESTED. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN A COPY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND THE COVER LETTER. TABULAR DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)